Cut-off and drain units for plumbing systems



Oct. l, 1957 P. C. MCCURDY CUT-OFF AND DRAIN UNITS FOR PLUMBING SYSTEMS Filed July 19, 1955 Pili/lp C'. MC.

INVENT OR Candy.

ATTORNEY United States Patent CUT-OFF AND DRAIN UNITS FOR PLUMBING SYSTEMS Philip C. McCurdy, Kensington, Md.

Application July 191, 1955, Serial No. 522,947

4 Claims. (Cl. 137-236) My present invention relates generally to plumbing systems. More particularly it relates to a novel improved arrangement Iand remote control valve device for not only completely draining all pipes inside the house, but also all the pipe connections within the building walls, 'as well as for a positive cut-off of all water supply at the exterior of the building wall and below the ground level and the frost line at the point of connection with the main water supply line before it feeds in through the usual eight to eighteen inches of building wall and pipe therein into the house plumbing line.

Prior to this invention, to drain a house water system, the main water supply could only be cut off within the house, i. e., inside the exterior building wall, and the usual drain plugs then removed to drain the water from the interior piping. However, the sections of pipe inside the exterior building wall do not drain, but remain full of water as they arevnot cut-off from the main supply line and if the weather should be cold enough the water in these wall-mounted pipe sections and connections will freeze, burst the pipe and cause damage and require repair or replacement.

It is an object of the invention to provide novel means, whereby the main water supply line buried below ground level and the freeze line may be cut off outside the building wall before it enters the building through the Wall.

Another object is to provide `a novel unit comprising a valve and remotely positioned operating handle, said valve seating in the `end of lan elongated pipe section extensible through the thickness of a building wall for coupling with the main water supply line buried below the freeze line in the ground, which is operable within the building.

A 'further object is to provide in a novel remote cut-olf unit areplaceable Valve seat adapted-to be removed and readily replaced from inside the building wall without disturbing the pipe connections either within or outside the wall. f

A further object is to provide a valve that is selfcornpensating for wear as it is used.

Still a further object is to provide a valve formed with a replaceable and self-adjusting head portion.

The above and other objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken with the accompanying drawings wherein three embodiments of my invention lare illustrated. It is to lbe understood that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to define the limits of my invention. Reference should be had to the appended claims to determine the limits or scope of the invention.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a cross section view of a section of building wall of standard thickness, illustrating a cross section view of one embodiment of my invention mounted therein;

Figure 2 is a second embodiment of valve structure utilizable; and

ice

Figure 3 is a third embodiment of the valve structure.

Referring in detail to the drawing and first with particular reference to Figure l, there is illustrated `a building wall A extending below a ground level B and with a main water supply pipe line 10 buried in the ground below the frost line. Coupled to the outlet end of the line 10 is a coupler element il, which is suitably coupled by welding or yshrink-iitting within the end borethereof to the end 12 of the outer diameter or circumference of my novel combination drain and remote cut-orf unit C.

The unit C includes `a body with a globe portion 13 formed with an interiorly threaded water supply outlet nipple 14. In this nipple is connected the end of any suitable water pipe 15, which leads oi as is well known to the usual house Water piping, not shown. Radially displaced from the nipple 14 is a drain opening dened -by exteriorly threaded drain nipple 16, which may be closed by an internally threaded cap 17 or other means, such as a needle Valve or petcock operable for draining the pipe system 15 inside the house.

Extending from the globe part 13 of the body from inside the wall A to the outside thereof, is a reduced elongated tubular portion, such as the cylinder or tube 1.8 with the previously referred to interiorly threaded end 12, which is coupled to the exterior water supply pipe line 10 buried in the ground below the water freeze line outside the wall A. Fixed within the end 12 of the cylinder 18 is a .bushing 19, including a valve seat 20, ya key wrench hexagonal socket 2l and an exteriorly threaded circumference 19a. The v-alve seat 20 coacts with a valve 22 formed on the end of a Valve actuator shaft 23, which shaft extends longitudinally through the complete unit C from an operating handle 24 inside the wall A to the main water line 10 outside wall A.

The valve actuator shaft 23 extends through a packing gland assembly 25, which is threaded into a bearing nipple 26, which is internally threaded so as to rotatably and reciprocably mount a threaded bearing sleeve or bushing 27 keyed to the valve shaft 23. f

As illustrated in Figure l, the handle 24 and the globe y portion 13 with the drain 16 and lead in nipple 15 are all insidethe building wall A. The wall engaging part `of the globe 13 may be formed with a stop in the form of an annular abutment or shoulder 28, and at this shoulder the globe 13 reduces into the elongated tube or cylinder 18. This tube 1S is longer than the thickness of the wall A to permit the valve end 12 of the tube to be coupled to the main water feed line 10 outside the wall A below the ground level freeze line.l

The valve actuator shaft 23 and its valve head 22 are centered with respect to the bore of the tube 18 and the bore of the valve bushing 19 by suitable centering means, such as radially extended pins 29 formed from' the shaft or otherwise afxed thereto. The respective ends 30 of these pins engage the interior bore of the tube 18, and

v the ends `are preferably rounded to reduce friction and permit greater freedom of turn when the valve is being actuated from the handle 24.

From the foregoing, it is believed clear that by turning the handle 24 bushing 27 is caused to rotate and travel linearly to thereby impart reciprocation to valve actuator shaft 23, and its operatively associated valve 22. Thus the valve 22 may be closed or opened at the exterior of the wall A to control the water supply from pipe 10.

For example, when the water is to be cut off the valve 22 is seated to cut off the water'and the drain plug or cap 17 may now be removed to drain the system including all water in the wallrmounted tube 18 as well. Thus there is no water inside the walls of the house to freeze under any conditions, as it is cut off by the valve 22 remotely positioned below the ground freeze line outside the house, usually at a depth of approximately three to four feet.

The fact that the globe portion 13 is made larger than the bore of tube 18 provides better drainagefrom the bore of tube 18, and also because the bore of tube 18 is relatively larger than the bore of the .inlet pipe 10, there is no appreciable reduction in ow whenthe valve is open.

The valve bushing 19 may become worn with use, `and accordingly itis made removableand replaceable by means ofan elongatedkey` wrench, not shown, engageable with the hexagonal socket 21. The removal of the valve bushing is accomplished by vtrst cutting olf the street water supply and then removing the valve shaft glands 25 and'bearing sleeve 27 with the shaft 23, after which the'key wrench may be extended through the unit body into the `socket 21 for its removal. Preferably the valve seat bushing is made of non-corrosible material, such as brass, stainless steel and thelike.

A second form of valve and `valve seat bushingis illustrated in Figure'Z, wherein the vlve'head`301includes the usual washer 31 and holding bolt '32, and the valve scat is an annular rib or collar 33. IOtherwise the structure is substantially thesame as in Figure 1, and such like parts are given the same numerals with a sub-refer# A third form of valve with a valve seat bushing is illustrated in Figure 3. In this embodiment, Ythe valve head 34 is removable and is held loosely in a socket 35 formed in the end of actuator shaft23'b, by means of turned over flange 36.

With this mounting ofthe valve head 34, it `ispermitted tobe turned' with theactuator shaft 23h when said shaft is turned and while the head is free of the valve seat h. However, when the `head is in contact with the seat it is guided and held against turning even though the shaft 23h may still be rotated for small number of turns. This non-turning in the seat prevents excessive wear of the valve head 34 and permits the head to be made of a synthetic plastic or other hard plastic material in lieu of metal.

Without further description it is believed that the foregoing is sufliciently complete, clear, concise and exact in terms to enable any person skilled inthe art to practice this invention. VHowever, it is to be expressly understood that although only `three forms of my inventionY are described and illustratedin detail, that other parts, arrangements and combinations of parts, which may now occurto others arelikewise intended to be covered`here portion, a rotatable and reciprocable mounting for a valve shaft in the bore of the boss, a closure for said drain nipple, an elongated valve actuator shaft projecting from outside said globe portion through said boss bore to adjacent said valve seat, said shaft being keyed in said mounting and being rotatable and reciprocable therewith, a valve on the end of said shaftin the cylinder bore adjacent said valve seat, a coupling means on the end of the said cylinder for coupling to a water supply pipe at a point exterior of said wall and'belownthe frost line, and manual means for moving said shaft to open and close said valve.

2. The cut-off and drain unitdescribed `inelaim 1, wherein said valve seat is of less external diameter than the internal diameter of said cylinder for removal thereof through the opposite end of the cylinder and wherein said cylinder is coupled to said water supply pipe.

3. The cut-olii` and drain unit `described in claim l, wherein said valve seat is formed in an exteriorly threaded bushing threadably mounted in the valve endofthe said cylinder, said bushing including an axially aligned hexagonal socket adapted to `be engaged by asocket type wrench for removal and replacement thereof. i

4. A building wall mounted cut-off and drain unit for connecting to a water supply pipe buried below the water freeze level, comprising an elongated tube extending through the wall and projectingfrom both the interior and exterior sides thereof, said wall extending below the ground level and `below the water freeze level on the vexterior side, said tube being coupled to a buried water supply pipe beyond the exterior side of the wall, a remotely controlled valve means in the tube bore at said exterio'rly coupled end, a hollow globe portion connected to the portion of the tube projecting from the interior side of the wall with a main pipe connection and a drain means, shaft means extending through said globe portion and said elongated tube carrying said valve means on the end thereof, and means for moving `said shaft to open or close said valve means to cut-on the water from said water supply pipe projecting from the globe portion on the interior side of the wall.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 926,190 Hunsberger lune 29, 1909 1,200,668 Swanberg Oct. 10, 19116 '1,216,167 Riebsame Feb. 13, 1917 '1,763,486 Strong June 10, 1930 V1,825,543 Redding Sept. 29, 1931 21,888,359 Ritchie Nov. 22, 1932 2,017,841 Coleman Oct. 22, 1935 2,077,766 Mead Apr. 20, 1937 2,081,616 Diamond May 25, 1937 12,493,248 Hughes Jan. 3, 1950 2,571,916 McKinley Oct. 16, 1951 2,625,173 Hodes Jan. 13, 1953 FOREIGN `PATENTS 6,255 Great Britain 1901 

